YouTube channels must now hit 10K views to start earning ad revenue

The change aims to improve brand safety measures of the YouTube Partner Program.

After several tumultuous weeks for YouTube over unwanted media attention and advertiser protest over ads showing up on unsavory video content, YouTube announced Thursday that ads will not show on videos from new creators until a channel reaches 10,000 views. The change is aimed at keeping bad actors from proliferating to earn ad revenue from the video platform.

YouTube also said that it will add a review process for creators that apply to the YouTube Partner Program that will commence once the 10K threshold is reached. Once the channel is approved, then creators can start earning ad revenue share from their content.

The YouTube Partner Program launched in 2007 to give creators a cut of revenue for the ads that run on their videos, and like just about everything on the internet, it became ripe for abuse as it grew in popularity. In YouTube’s case, this includes people creating imposter channels and/or uploading original content created by others.

The change helps protect legitimate creators, but it is one of several Google has undertaken to appease advertisers in the past weeks. Additionally, YouTube made it easier for users to report channels impersonating those of established creators recently. It now says that change has helped the company shut down hundreds of thousands of channels for policy violations.

“We want creators of all sizes to find opportunity on YouTube, and we believe this new application process will help ensure creator revenue continues to grow and end up in the right hands,” wrote Ariel Bardin, YouTube VP of product management, in the announcement.

About The Author

Ginny Marvin is Third Door Media's Editor-in-Chief, managing day-to-day editorial operations across all of our publications. Ginny writes about paid online marketing topics including paid search, paid social, display and retargeting for Search Engine Land, Marketing Land and MarTech Today. With more than 15 years of marketing experience, she has held both in-house and agency management positions. She can be found on Twitter as @ginnymarvin.